ABSTRACT
Government policies of reservation in higher and especially professional education have been a source of continuing controversy. While the policy helps to fulfil the aspirations of the disadvantaged groups, it also breeds resentment from the groups who are not entitled to reservations. Two distinct lobbies are visible — ‘pro-reservation’ and ‘anti-reservation’. The arguments advanced by both sides are by now quite familiar. Those against reservations emphasise the ‘merit deficiency’ of candidates from the reserved categories and ask how long reservations will continue to deny the rightful claims of the meritorious. Proponents of reservations point out that the merit argument is somehow forgotten in the context of private professional colleges, and that reservation candidates have to overcome very severe disadvantages compared to the privileged lives of most upper caste students.
